Ehis Lawrence Akhimie has pleaded guilty to $6 million inheritance scam targeting elderly Americans.
NaijaOnPoint Nigeria reports that Nigerian citizen, Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, has pleaded guilty to orchestrating a massive transnational inheritance fraud scheme that swindled over $6 million from more than 400 victims, many of whom were elderly and vulnerable individuals across the United States.
Akhimie, 41, entered the guilty plea on June 17 in a U.S. federal court, admitting to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
According to court filings, Akhimie was part of a sophisticated international fraud ring that mailed personalized letters to elderly Americans, falsely claiming the recipients were heirs to multimillion-dollar inheritances from long-lost relatives who had supposedly died overseas. The scammers impersonated foreign bank representatives, primarily claiming to be from Spain.
To secure the fictitious inheritance, victims were told they needed to pay fees, taxes, and delivery charges, all fabricated. These payments were funneled through a network of U.S.-based intermediaries, manipulated into forwarding the funds to Akhimie and his associates.
Not a single victim received the promised inheritance. Akhimie admitted to knowingly deceiving and exploiting vulnerable individuals for personal financial gain.
“This case reflects the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to pursuing international fraudsters who prey on elderly and defenseless consumers,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Regardless of where they operate from, they will be brought to justice.”
Akhimie is the eighth individual convicted in connection with the widespread scam, which has already led to multiple international arrests and extraditions:
Ezennia Peter Neboh, extradited from Spain, sentenced to 128 months
Kennedy Ikponmwosa, also from Spain, sentenced to 97 months
Emmanuel Samuel (UK): 82 months
Jerry Chucks Ozor (UK): 87 months
Iheanyichukwu Jonathan Abraham** (UK): 90 months
Amos Prince Okey Ezemma (Nigeria): 90 months
Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata (Portugal): 97 months
This wave of convictions marks a significant win for U.S. law enforcement agencies battling transnational fraud and elder financial abuse. Akhimie now awaits sentencing, which will determine his fate in what has been described as one of the most elaborate inheritance scams targeting American seniors.